Content Warning: Please be aware that this story includes a brief scene involving sexual assault and references to physical abuse. These events are integral to the character's backstory but are not described in graphic detail. Reader discretion is advised.
A carriage drew up to a small cabin in the woods, and a young woman stepped out with a deep sigh. Her long dark hair cascaded down her back as the wind blew through it. She looked up at the modest cabin and chuckled. Standing at the doorway, wearing a huge smile, and not much else, was her best friend, Lucas.
His tanned chest and rippling muscles stood bare for all to see. His trousers hung low, giving her a good view of his lower abs. If he wasn't her best friend or she hadn't seen it plenty of times before, she could have easily blushed.
"Elena! You're finally back!" he called out as he raced down to meet her.
Elena smiled at him as he enveloped her in a big hug. She moved away after a few moments to help the carriage driver bring down her luggage.
"I'll do that." Lucas insisted, stopping her from reaching up.
She smiled as she watched the muscles in his back, she allowed her eyes to scan his arms as they too moved and rippled with the movements.
"Stop ogling your best friend and give me a hug!" someone teased.
Elena turned with a start. She noticed a smug smile on Lucas' face as she glared at the approaching elderly woman.
The older woman ignored the glare as she pulled Elena into a tight hug. Eventually, Elena's glare turned into laughter as she twirled around with the woman.
"Good to have you back my girl," the woman beamed as he gripped Elena's hand.
"Good to be back Helen," Elena smiled.
"How was your trip? Any takers?" Helen asked eagerly.
With a chuckle, Elena shook her head. Helen patted her shoulders like it was the gravest news she'd ever heard. Lucas bumped into Elena with her bags.
"She didn't need to go there anyway, so it's no great loss," he pouted.
He had truly hated the idea of her travelling to different packs to find her mate, especially alone.
Elena knew as a healer and a single female in her wolf pack she needed to see if her mate was elsewhere. After all, if her mate was in the pack they would have met already. Though there was a possibility she didn't have one since she wasn't born into the pack.
She hadn't liked the idea of leaving either, though probably not for the same reason as Lucas. Elena had hoped, if she had one, her mate would have been a certain someone she already knew.
The Alpha of the Shadow Moon pack had taken Elena in many years ago. If it wasn't for them she would still be back in her miserable village or worse, she could have been left for dead. Elena's mind wandered back to that time, the time that changed her life for the worse and then the better.
---
Slowly, Elena walked down the footpath, and the small village of Meadowhill loomed ahead. She hated when she had to go to the village. Her father, the local blacksmith, had ordered her to fetch something from the innkeeper.
Her home was situated in a small clearing in the woods. A small footpath connected her home to the village. The route only took half an hour each way and it was half an hour that she cherished, for it meant she was alone.
The people in the village, except for the innkeeper and his wife, hated her. When she was younger she had been attacked in the woods. A young girl, at the time, had told everyone lies about the attack and instead of finding out the truth, they turned against her. They'd called her a whore and other unmentionable names.
What everyone didn't know was that the young girl that reported her attack had planned it. The four young boys that attacked her had done so on the girl's orders.
Elena had first met Sara when she'd moved to town with her father, the new mayor, they were both eight years old. The two girls had instantly created a dislike for each other or rather Sara had set against her.
Sara wanted everyone to treat her like a princess, but Elena didn't have time for that foolishness. So, Sara decided to hurt Elena.
Elena's mother passed away when Elena was just a baby and her father raised her the best he could. She had grown up a tomboy and naturally, all her friends were boys, many of them were a few years older than her.
Sara had somehow tricked her friends into abandoning Elena. Then, when she was eleven one of her friends returned to her. He had told her about being blackmailed and threatened by Sara. He also said that he wanted to be friends again, but it had to be in secret.
Having been lonely for some time, Elena happily agreed. They would meet in secret, in a small clearing with a lake and play. Eventually, the other three friends came along as well. Elena was elated to have her friends back, even if it was in secret.
Then one day things took a turn for the worst. The group had been playing, as normal, a game of tag. One of the boys had tagged Elena more forcibly than he should have, and she had fallen backwards. She lay laughing until that same boy lay on top of her.
"Matthew! What are you doing? Get off me, you tagged me," she called out laughing slightly.
Matthew moved to kiss her, and Elena moved her head away. She managed to push him off and sat up.
"What are you doing?" she asked in confusion.
Matthew looked guilty as the others came to see what was happening. Elena suddenly felt nervous.
"I'm going to go now," she said shakily as she stood up and turned to leave.
"We're sorry Elena," was the last thing she heard before she felt a sharp pain and collapsed.
Matthew had taken a rock and hit her across the head, knocking her out. When Elena had come around, four things registered slowly.
First, she could hear a burst of faint laughter nearby. Secondly, she couldn't move her arms or legs, or rather something was stopping her from moving them. Thirdly, there was a heavy weight on top of her and finally, the most important one was the pain in between her legs.
Her eyes shot open and she looked straight up into the eyes of Matthew, as he moved on top of her. She looked down and screamed. Her clothes were gone, as were his. He was raping her! Two of the other boys held her legs, the other held one arm and Sara held the other.
Sara smirked and laughed as Elena cried out in pain, begging Matthew to stop. Despite what he was doing to her, he couldn't look at her. Once he was finished the others took their turn. Once all four boys had their turn, Sara ordered them to kick her. One of the kicks hit her head knocking her out once again.
A carriage drew up to a small cabin in the woods, and a young woman stepped out with a deep sigh. Her long dark hair cascaded down her back as the wind blew through it. She looked up at the modest cabin and chuckled. Standing at the doorway, wearing a huge smile, and not much else, was her best friend, Lucas.
His tanned chest and rippling muscles stood bare for all to see. His trousers hung low, giving her a good view of his lower abs. If he wasn't her best friend or she hadn't seen it plenty of times before, she could have easily blushed.
"Elena! You're finally back!" he called out as he raced down to meet her.
Elena smiled at him as he enveloped her in a big hug. She moved away after a few moments to help the carriage driver bring down her luggage.
"I'll do that." Lucas insisted, stopping her from reaching up.
She smiled as she watched the muscles in his back, she allowed her eyes to scan his arms as they too moved and rippled with the movements.
"Stop ogling your best friend and give me a hug!" someone teased.
Elena turned with a start. She noticed a smug smile on Lucas' face as she glared at the approaching elderly woman.
The older woman ignored the glare as she pulled Elena into a tight hug. Eventually, Elena's glare turned into laughter as she twirled around with the woman.
"Good to have you back my girl," the woman beamed as he gripped Elena's hand.
"Good to be back Helen," Elena smiled.
"How was your trip? Any takers?" Helen asked eagerly.
With a chuckle, Elena shook her head. Helen patted her shoulders like it was the gravest news she'd ever heard. Lucas bumped into Elena with her bags.
"She didn't need to go there anyway, so it's no great loss," he pouted.
He had truly hated the idea of her travelling to different packs to find her mate, especially alone.
Elena knew as a healer and a single female in her wolf pack she needed to see if her mate was elsewhere. After all, if her mate was in the pack they would have met already. Though there was a possibility she didn't have one since she wasn't born into the pack.
She hadn't liked the idea of leaving either, though probably not for the same reason as Lucas. Elena had hoped, if she had one, her mate would have been a certain someone she already knew.
The Alpha of the Shadow Moon pack had taken Elena in many years ago. If it wasn't for them she would still be back in her miserable village or worse, she could have been left for dead. Elena's mind wandered back to that time, the time that changed her life for the worse and then the better.
---
Slowly, Elena walked down the footpath, and the small village of Meadowhill loomed ahead. She hated when she had to go to the village. Her father, the local blacksmith, had ordered her to fetch something from the innkeeper.
Her home was situated in a small clearing in the woods. A small footpath connected her home to the village. The route only took half an hour each way and it was half an hour that she cherished, for it meant she was alone.
The people in the village, except for the innkeeper and his wife, hated her. When she was younger she had been attacked in the woods. A young girl, at the time, had told everyone lies about the attack and instead of finding out the truth, they turned against her. They'd called her a whore and other unmentionable names.
What everyone didn't know was that the young girl that reported her attack had planned it. The four young boys that attacked her had done so on the girl's orders.
Elena had first met Sara when she'd moved to town with her father, the new mayor, they were both eight years old. The two girls had instantly created a dislike for each other or rather Sara had set against her.
Sara wanted everyone to treat her like a princess, but Elena didn't have time for that foolishness. So, Sara decided to hurt Elena.
Elena's mother passed away when Elena was just a baby and her father raised her the best he could. She had grown up a tomboy and naturally, all her friends were boys, many of them were a few years older than her.
Sara had somehow tricked her friends into abandoning Elena. Then, when she was eleven one of her friends returned to her. He had told her about being blackmailed and threatened by Sara. He also said that he wanted to be friends again, but it had to be in secret.
Having been lonely for some time, Elena happily agreed. They would meet in secret, in a small clearing with a lake and play. Eventually, the other three friends came along as well. Elena was elated to have her friends back, even if it was in secret.
Then one day things took a turn for the worst. The group had been playing, as normal, a game of tag. One of the boys had tagged Elena more forcibly than he should have, and she had fallen backwards. She lay laughing until that same boy lay on top of her.
"Matthew! What are you doing? Get off me, you tagged me," she called out laughing slightly.
Matthew moved to kiss her, and Elena moved her head away. She managed to push him off and sat up.
"What are you doing?" she asked in confusion.
Matthew looked guilty as the others came to see what was happening. Elena suddenly felt nervous.
"I'm going to go now," she said shakily as she stood up and turned to leave.
"We're sorry Elena," was the last thing she heard before she felt a sharp pain and collapsed.
Matthew had taken a rock and hit her across the head, knocking her out. When Elena had come around, four things registered slowly.
First, she could hear a burst of faint laughter nearby. Secondly, she couldn't move her arms or legs, or rather something was stopping her from moving them. Thirdly, there was a heavy weight on top of her and finally, the most important one was the pain in between her legs.
Her eyes shot open and she looked straight up into the eyes of Matthew, as he moved on top of her. She looked down and screamed. Her clothes were gone, as were his. He was raping her! Two of the other boys held her legs, the other held one arm and Sara held the other.
Sara smirked and laughed as Elena cried out in pain, begging Matthew to stop. Despite what he was doing to her, he couldn't look at her. Once he was finished the others took their turn. Once all four boys had their turn, Sara ordered them to kick her. One of the kicks hit her head knocking her out once again.
A carriage drew up to a small cabin in the woods, and a young woman stepped out with a deep sigh. Her long dark hair cascaded down her back as the wind blew through it. She looked up at the modest cabin and chuckled. Standing at the doorway, wearing a huge smile, and not much else, was her best friend, Lucas.
His tanned chest and rippling muscles stood bare for all to see. His trousers hung low, giving her a good view of his lower abs. She could have easily blushed if he wasn't her best friend or she hadn't seen it plenty of times before.
"Elena! You're finally back!" he called out as he raced down to meet her.
Elena smiled at him as he enveloped her in a big hug. She moved away after a few moments to help the carriage driver bring down her luggage.
"I'll do that." Lucas insisted, stopping her from reaching up.
She smiled as she watched the muscles in his back, she allowed her eyes to scan his arms as they too moved and rippled with the movements.
"Stop ogling your best friend and give me a hug!" someone teased.
Elena turned with a start. She noticed a smug smile on Lucas' face as she glared at the approaching elderly woman.
The older woman ignored the glare as she pulled Elena into a tight hug. Eventually, Elena's glare turned into laughter as she twirled around with the woman.
"Good to have you back my girl," the woman beamed as he gripped Elena's hand.
"Good to be back Helen," Elena smiled.
"How was your trip? Any takers?" Helen asked eagerly.
With a chuckle, Elena shook her head. Helen patted her shoulders like it was the gravest news she'd ever heard. Lucas bumped into Elena with her bags.
"She didn't need to go there anyway, so it's no great loss," he pouted.
He had truly hated the idea of her travelling to different packs to find her mate, especially alone.
Elena knew as a healer and a single female in her wolf pack she needed to see if her mate was elsewhere. After all, if her mate was in the pack they would have met already. However, there was a possibility she didn't have one since she wasn't born into the pack.
She hadn't liked the idea of leaving either, though probably not for the same reason as Lucas. Elena had hoped, if she had one, her mate would have been a certain someone she already knew.
The Alpha of the Shadow Moon pack had taken Elena in many years ago. If it wasn't for them she would still be back in her miserable village or worse, she could have been left for dead. Elena's mind wandered back to that time, the time that changed her life for the worse and then the better.
---
Slowly, Elena walked down the footpath, and the small village of Meadowhill loomed ahead. She hated when she had to go to the village. Her father, the local blacksmith, had ordered her to fetch something from the innkeeper.
Her home was situated in a small clearing in the woods. A small footpath connected her home to the village. The route only took half an hour each way and it was half an hour that she cherished, for it meant she was alone.
The people in the village, except for the innkeeper and his wife, hated her. When she was younger she had been attacked in the woods. A young girl, at the time, had told everyone lies about the attack and instead of finding out the truth, they turned against her. They'd called her a whore and other unmentionable names.
What everyone didn't know was that the young girl who reported her attack had planned it. The four young boys that attacked her had done so on the girl's orders.
Elena had first met Sara when she'd moved to town with her father, the new mayor, they were both eight years old. The two girls had instantly created a dislike for each other or rather Sara had set against her.
Sara wanted everyone to treat her like a princess, but Elena didn't have time for that foolishness. So, Sara decided to hurt Elena.
Elena's mother passed away when Elena was just a baby and her father raised her the best he could. She had grown up a tomboy and naturally, all her friends were boys, many of them were a few years older than her.
Sara had somehow tricked her friends into abandoning Elena. Then, when she was eleven one of her friends returned to her. He had told her about being blackmailed and threatened by Sara. He also said that he wanted to be friends again, but it had to be in secret.
Having been lonely for some time, Elena happily agreed. They would meet in secret, in a small clearing with a lake and play. Eventually, the other three friends came along as well. Elena was elated to have her friends back, even if it was in secret.
Then one day things took a turn for the worse. The group had been playing, as normal, a game of tag. One of the boys had tagged Elena more forcibly than he should have, and she had fallen backwards. She lay laughing until that same boy lay on top of her.
"Matthew! What are you doing? Get off me, you tagged me," she called out laughing slightly.
Matthew moved to kiss her, and Elena moved her head away. She managed to push him off and sat up.
"What are you doing?" she asked in confusion.
Matthew looked guilty as the others came to see what was happening. Elena suddenly felt nervous.
"I'm going to go now," she said shakily as she stood up and turned to leave.
"We're sorry Elena," was the last thing she heard before she felt a sharp pain and collapsed.
Matthew had taken a rock and hit her across the head, knocking her out. When Elena had come around, four things registered slowly.
First, she could hear a burst of faint laughter nearby. Secondly, she couldn't move her arms or legs, or rather something was stopping her from moving them. Thirdly, there was a heavy weight on top of her and finally, the most important one was the pain in between her legs.
Her eyes shot open and she looked straight up into the eyes of Matthew, as he moved on top of her. She looked down and screamed. Her clothes were gone, as were his. He was raping her! Two of the other boys held her legs, the other held one arm and Sara held the other.
Sara smirked and laughed as Elena cried out in pain, begging Matthew to stop. Despite what he was doing to her, he couldn't look at her. Once he was finished the others took their turn. Once all four boys had their turn, Sara ordered them to kick her. One of the kicks hit her head knocking her out once again.